


Ocean Eyes

by ensorcello



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Also fluff, Connara - Freeform, F/M, Human AU, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Multi, Slow Burn, Soulmate AU, and like that's the ONLY color they can see, but he's alive, connor's a sweetheart, connor's okay w/ it, fluff fluff just all the fluff, he's just in college, i feel bad bc luther isn't techincally in this, if ur soulmate dies all you see is grey, im terrible at tags, kara HATES the color that she sees, kara and alice are sibilings in this one, kara's doing her best, luther kara adam and alice are all adoptive siblings in this au, markus is connors best friend 5ever, north has some problems, not beta read we die like men, otp, so in this soulmate everyone sees their soulmates eye color, this is REALLY short so bear with me, what is up with my obsession w/tags, when you look into each other's eyes you see ALL the colors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-07-03 11:46:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15818247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ensorcello/pseuds/ensorcello
Summary: A world where the only color you can see is your soulmate's eye color.A world where it seems impossible to find the one.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hey so this was on wattpad but i really wanted to write something on ao3 so here you go my dudes

In the grand spectrum of colors visible to the human eye, her soulmate’s eyes were brown.

And oh, how she loathed that. Everything was a tint or a shade of brown, from what she ate to what she wore. She wasn’t shy about her distaste for her soulmate’s eye color and envied others who saw shades of a more interesting color, such as blue or green. 

What made matters worse in Kara’s mind is how common the eye color was, meaning almost anyone could be “the one.” Granted, she couldn’t tell for sure based on her own eyesight, but she’d read statistics. Her mother told her that when she met the one and when she looked into their eyes, she’d see everything. Every color that had been described to her in stories would bring life to her obviously dull world.

The story, as childish as it was gave Kara a sense of hope. That maybe she’d be free of this monochromatic prison, and live with an endless palette from that day forward.


	2. Who is She?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> connor (kinda) meets his waifu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so these chapters are REALLY short so I apologize in advance

Connor was absolutely desperate for the recently opened detective position. To his friends, it was pathetic. The rather extensive changes that Connor had gone through for this job contradicted the carefree person he was. At first, it was small differences such as wearing articles of clothing that were more business casual.

Connor's closest friend Markus scoffed, " Pshh, you guys I don't change for jobs. Jobs change for me." Markus proceeded to point at his chest, which sent the circle of friends into a frenzy of laughter.

Another friend of the group, North added while elbowing Markus, " Soon as I walk in, they'll be begging on their knees for me." The volume increased.

The roar of laughter made Connor want to hide for all of eternity. He remembered saying such things to his friends. Perhaps admitting his slight nervousness wasn't the most educated decision.

Silently, he excused himself from the crowd and began to make his way to the police station. Despite his repression, the feeling of his stomach churning was very much present. He exhaled and thought to himself, "Relax, Connor. You're gonna be just fine." The last sentence of his thought turned into a mantra: You're gonna be just fine. You're gonna be just fine.

A glint of pastel blue caught his eye. It most likely wasn't a pastel blue, but it's what Connor saw. He managed to see the owner of said color. A woman with a small girl, both laughing at something. An inside joke, probably. He noticed the details of her, which was very unlike himself. Her freckles, her short light blue hair, but what threw Connor off was her eyes. Her eyes, and how ordinarily they fit into the picture he saw. He brushed it off as a unique shade and continued walking.

However, all previous nervous tension seemed to fade. There was a single question that formulated in his mind.

Who is she?


	3. He was..

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kara's the best sister thank you very much

Alice tugged on Kara's jacket. She looked up at her sister with a wondering expression, " Who was that, Kara?"

Truthfully, Kara didn't know who the stranger was. She glanced at him walking somewhere when an idea developed in her head. A wicked grin spread across her face.

" He's-," Kara paused to think,"- a top-secret spy who's sent to look after us because you're secretly the princess of an unknown country."

Alice giggled. " No, he's a runaway clown from the circus!"

" A robot police officer," Kara responded, holding back laughter.

" A time traveler!"

" Our long- lost 3rd cousin."

" The president's son!"

The comedic banter continued until Kara and Alice were hysterically laughing. Kara looked at Alice, who was still in her laughing fit. It was a rarity to see her smile, much less laugh. Alice's laughter slowly faded as she took a second to exhale.

Kara ruffled Alice's hair, " C'mon. Let's go get some ice cream."

" But it's not dinner yet," Alice warned.

Kara's eyes twinkled, " I won't tell."

Reluctantly, Alice reached for Kara's hand and started walking. Alice began to swing Kara's arm as they walked, which was a natural tendency of her's. Kara didn't mind, she was too overjoyed by their small discussion on that guy walking into the police station.

Maybe he's a cop, Kara pondered, or the start of a new case.


	4. I did it!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> connor's a dork and we love him

Connor tapped on one of the sides of his computer impatiently. It had been a week since his interview with the Detroit Police Department and he had been dying to know the outcome. He twirled his blanket with nervousness and shifted uncomfortably in his covers.

Connor's mind immediately slid into the corrupt side of his abnormally long delay.

"You didn't get in," his mind chanted, "It doesn't take this long for results."

And shortly, Connor believed himself. He didn't get in, so what did he do wrong?

Was he too formal? Or maybe he was too relaxed? Should he have not brought up his experience in Flint?

What was it? Where did he mess up?

A small ding came from his computer and Connor looked at his inbox. A new email.

Connor's face lit up like a child at a surprise birthday party. He clicked on the email and read the sender's name.

" Detroit Police Department," Connor read with glee. But a terrible image came into his head: a rejection email. Connor's previous happiness drained as he reluctantly scrolled down to read the contents.

" Dear Mister Anderson,

We are pleased to offer you the job of detective in the Detroit Police Department. If you chose to accept our offer, please send us an email of acceptance.

 

Thank you in advance, 

Capt. Jeffery Fowler."

 

Connor felt his heart race and his breathing quicken, a large and childish grin formed on his face. He could barely keep his calm composure and had the strange urge to scream with joy from his apartment's balcony. 

He closed his computer gently and fell back into his bed. He reached for his phone and called his best friend ( and nothing more), Markus.

" Markus, guess what? " The excitement in his tone lead up in a slight voice crack. Connor cupped his hand over his mouth as he tried to process what had just happened.

On the other end of the line, Markus was laughing. It wasn't as severe as it was when Connor was applying, but it was almost at an equal level of volume. Connor tried to mimic Markus to help him cope with his embarrassment.

The laughter died down, after a short pause for breath Markus asked," Alright, yeah. What's up?"

Connor smiled. " I got the job!"

" Dude, no!"

" Well, dude yes."

" Yo, we gotta celebrate!"

Connor's eyebrow arched. " How so?"

" Give me fifteen. I'll be over with my friends and bottles of vodka."

" Markus no!"

" Markus yEs."


	5. Yay! Social Interaction!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kara hates parties w/ a burning passion

Kara hated how persuasive North was. It always leads her into trouble such as when she got suspended in high school for allegedly picking on some cheerleader. But this was different, something far worse than she'd ever dream of.

Here she was, utterly blown away at how oblivious her best friend was to her very obvious disapproval of social gatherings. She sat at the edge of North's bed, fuming at her as she waited for North to finish applying her makeup.

" You want me to WHAT?" Kara screeched.

" Relax, Kara. It's just a party." North replied as she set on a thin coat of mascara.

Kara's brows furrowed. " I don't even know the guy."

" You'll know him by the end of the party."

Kara grumbled and flung herself on North's bed. She wanted to scream, and could already feel the tension coiling in her stomach. She winced as she visualized the odor of smell and stale alcohol.

The audible click that came from North's lipstick managed to snap her back into reality.

" Who knows? You may find the one." North's eyes flashed with mischief.

" Yeah, right. I'll personally thank whoever they are for letting me see other colors for a change. "

" Amen, sister. I remember being so bored of seeing only blue and green."

" Only blue and green!" Kara stressed, " At least you didn't see one color for your whole life!"

North sighed and got up from her chair. " C'mon. Let's go."

Kara and North wordlessly exited the room and walked to the small doorway. North slipped on some strapless shoes and unlocked the door, gesturing for Kara to leave first.

As Kara walked out the doorway, she paused and leaned her head on the perimeter of the door.

She broke the silence. " The guy, what's his name?"

" Connor," North replied promptly.

" Connor," Kara mused as they made way for North's car.


	6. To Connor!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> markus throws a party at his connor's house without even letting connor prepare the place

People rushed into Connor's apartment as soon as Connor considered making plans. People he had met and total strangers cramped up his living room. Truthfully, it all made him claustrophobic. He maneuvered through the seemingly endless sea of people to find Markus. He soon found him having an extremely animated conversation with North.

" Have I ever told you how pretty you are. Like, babe, are you single?" he slurred while his arm was wrapped around North's waist.

North smiled. " Unfortunately not."

Connor couldn't help but laugh at this exchange. He stirred towards the table, scanning his surroundings to see if he could find any other familiar faces. He spotted his friends Simon and Josh, screeching the lyrics to ' Take on Me' by A-Ha, a rather old song from what he believed to be the eighties.

" Hey, Connor! Bu-ddy!" Markus enunciated buddy as if it were two words. Buh-ddy. Connor found that slightly comical.

Markus slammed his hand on Connor's back. Connor winced in pain.

" Hey, can we get some silence up in here?"

The environment continued at its normal strength. Connor heard that the volume had slightly risen.

" I said, can we get some silence here?!" Markus nearly roared.

" EVERYBODY SHUT UP, MARKUS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY!" North had belted from the other side of the living room.

The apartment went into pin-drop silence. A couple of whispers were shared, which were most likely taunts targeted at North.

North gave Markus a sweet smile. " Okay, sweetie. You have the floor."

Markus gave North a well-meant nod that ended up making him look more intoxicated that he was. 

"Ahem. So when Connor told me that he was applying for the job at the DPD, I thought he had gone crazy." 

Laughter, though slightly awkward, spread throughout the party.

" I was like 'Seriously? Man, you can't even find your remote!' 

The laughter continued.

" He proved me wrong. He always does that, prove me wrong. His determination is something I myslef- sorry myself have always aspired to. I remembered Simon and I-" he gestured to the blonde "-telling him that he couldn't study for the midterm that well. He looked at me with the stare, that stupid stare, and said ' Watch me'. "

A tension filled the room, a small but terrible tension. An almost suspense; What happened? What happened?

Markus knew completely that his audience was on edge to this worn-out story. He simply smirked. 

"Aww, come on! What happened Manfred?!" yelled one of the guests.

Markus didn't respond. Connor noticed how perfectly calculated his bit was, which made him wonder on how many times Markus recited this. Connor knew how the story ended but feeling the suspension in the air made him slightly on-edge as well. 

" He got the highest score. A big freakin' 98." Markus's tone was a mix of defeat and pride. 

A whoop carried itself through the living room and into the kitchen. Some people even cheered, and Connor had to think: what were they happy about? 

Him? Obviously not. Connor had studied, that wasn't anything special. He truly believed that the 98 was a mistake, that he wasn't capable of anything like this. The test gods had smiled upon him that one day, and he'd always left it that.

" So y'know, I really have nothing to say," Markus concluded," except.."

Markus lifted his red solo cup," To Connor!"

Everyone else did the same. But there was one person that caught Connor's eye.

A girl.

Her eyes were glued to Markus. She had stage-whispered, though Connor heard it clearly.

" To Connor."


	7. Some Party, Huh?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> connor actually meets his waifu

The party still raged on, and Markus just fueled the fire. He took on the unspoken position of DJ and starting hyping up the crowd. Techno music blared from a speaker, which got the crowd to go from silence to a rave. He starting yelling nonsensical phrases to the crowd, which were practically indecipherable to Connor. He tore his eyes off of the sea of people and began to maneuver through the crowd. He twisted his body in ways that he had previously deemed impossible for himself, such as when he had gone into an almost full split to get to his dining table. His hand felt for the wood of the table and Connor managed to repress a sigh of relief when he had felt it. How had wood, a rather overlooked thing, become so important to him? Perhaps it wasn't the table itself, and it was just getting to the other side of his own living room without getting killed. 

He found North almost immediately, with her scarlet cocktail dress clashing harshly with the neon blue (or any other color for all he knew) aesthetic that suddenly bathed his living room. She seemed irritated with her nose scrunched and eyes staring harshly at something. Or it could be someone, Connor couldn't decipher it. He shifted to the right and tried scoping out his view from that viewpoint. He saw the figure and instantaneously knew who it was. Josh. Josh Fitzsimmons, to be more exact. He was a smart guy, who graduated from Stanford with a Bachelor's in Medicine. He had very, very short dark hair that complimented his seemingly Carolina blue skin. His expression was at an annoyed state, Connor watched as Josh's eyes rolled at North's yelling. A loud, sharp noise pierced the air as North, in fury, threw down a stray high-heel that was innocently laying near her. She hissed and started speaking in rapid-fire Spanish. She screamed obscenities at Josh, which Connor wished he couldn't translate to himself. The color drained from Josh's face as he slowly put his hands up to surrender. And to that, Connor simply just chuckled. Leave it to his friends to make an otherwise serious situation hilarious. 

A force that had bumped into him made Connor stagger backward. He felt a lamp pole hit his back. God, what was he thinking when he put that there? He felt a burning sensation spread across his face, which could only be blushing. He felt stupid, for bumping into that pole. Was he drunk? It was a mere mistake, Connor thought, trying to brush it off. He was certain that whoever he had bumped into would think similarly. He turned to face whoever it was while thinking up an apology that would seem sincere. He finally got a good look at the stranger. 

Her. That same girl he had encountered, what, two weeks ago? That same girl with the little one. Her sister, maybe. The girl with the same light eyes and curious expression. Her. 

Connor's mind reeled. Why was he so infatuated with her? What was so special about her to make him speechless? Well, everything about her. It had been a while since a girl had done this to him. Not since Chloe, whose fate Connor was really unsure of. But she was different. She wasn't attractive in the way he had always thought the word 'pretty' meant. She had that soft, warm glow to her that made her look gentle, motherly even. Even looking at her made Connor break out into a warm smile. What was her name? Who was she? Questions that Connor had pressed into the back of his mind slammed to his forefront, making Connor die slowly of curiosity. 

She stared him-well his hair, rather. He tensed up. Why? Why was he so... so scared? Was he scared of her? No, of course not. But there was something about her that made Connor afraid. Well, not afraid of her in general, just looking her in the eye. Perhaps it was some weird thing that he did in front of pretty girls. He could never really tell, most of his interactions were such a blur. But this. This was going to be different. Connor didn't know how it kind of just clicked to him.

He cleared his throat, as audibly as he could without seeming rude. " Uh, hey." Wow. That sounded absolutely stupid.

"Hi." She had a bit of shyness in her voice. Was he being too harsh? You need to calm down, you're doing ok.

" Some party, huh?" Connor knew that this was awkward. He was almost sure that she knew it too. Perhaps he should ask her a question about herself?

" My name's Connor," he continued, " what's yours?" He rose his voice to a slight yell due to all the commotion. This was fine, he was off to an okay start.

"Kara," she replied in a similar volume range. She smiled awkwardly, which Connor thought was pretty adorable.

Now she continued. "Aren't you the guy we're throwing this party for?"

Connor listened in on the whoops and shouts. He grimaced. "Yeah."

"You into this kinda stuff?" She rubbed her hand against her dress.

Connor scratched the back of his head."No, not really."

"Me neither. Parties suck."

"If you really hate parties, you're going to hate Markus."

"Oh, I already know him. He's my best friend's boyfriend."

"North?" Connor raised his eyebrow. He couldn't imagine North of all people being close with someone like Kara.

She giggled. "Yeah, she actually brought me here. Didn't really think it'd be that fun."

"And what's your conclusion?"

"I was right."

" CONNOR!" Markus boomed from the other side of the living room.

Connor winced for the third or fourth time this evening. "Yeah listen, I gotta go."

"Wait," Kara interjected," um- I wanted to give you this."

She reached out for Connor's hand and placed a crumpled up piece of paper. It felt soft, almost worn out. Like she had been holding on to this for a while.

The honk of a car. " I guess that's my cue. See you around, Connor."

She quickly maneuvered her way out of the never-ending sea of people. A glimpse of a baby blue, and she was out of Connor's sight.

He opened the piece of paper and unraveled it. A phone number. Perhaps he would see her around.


	8. Gavin, Hank, and Jeffrey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor finally does something about that phone number.

Connor felt stiff. Not like 'wow, what a minor inconvenience' stiff, but more of 'I am physically unable to move 'stiff.   He didn't have a headache, which was good.  He slowly dragged his eyes open, only to be nearly blinded by the sunlight. Most of his thoughts were incoherent, probably because of all the chaos that had happened the night before. He blindly felt around his nightstand for his phone and slid it carelessly onto his bed. He squinted as yet again another light almost blinds him. 7:53. The time was a metaphorical slap to the face, a not-so-gentle reminder that he was going to be late to his first day as a detective. He knew for a fact that his dad was going to be mad at him, and bring up how when he was just starting out as a police officer... Connor groaned with disgust at the thought of the story.  He never said anything about his distaste for the story, for he knew how much he loved to tell it.  His other friends, however, were on the verge of telling him. Connor was the only thing that kept them from snapping. Connor mumbled as he rolled off of his bed, which suddenly became the most comfortable abode that he had ever been in. Absentmindedly, he crawled to his closet and grabbed his dad's old DPD sweatshirt and some jeans. In two long strides, he reached his phone again. 8:06. Connor sighed. These were one of those times where he wished time as a concept didn't exist.

He slipped on the sweatshirt over his black _Knights of the Black Deat_ h shirt. This was throwing off the formal demeanor he had always presented to them. Connor thought nothing of it, though the main reason for his sudden care-free attitude was because he was simply too tired to think. He rubbed his eyes and ran his hands through the thick navy mass atop his head. He kicked off his sweatpants and pulled up some of his old jeans. They were ripped and had an acid wash look to them. He didn't feel like putting on his contacts and spotted the familiar Prussian blue of his glasses. With a simple _swish_ , Connor took off the glasses from the nightstand and fixed them on his face. He leaped over a pile of clothes and began to finish the rest of his uncoordinated routine.  After all, was said and done, Connor felt a bit more alive. He had now regained the ability to actually respond to sentences instead of grunting. A bit more awake. A bit more civilized. He now stood outside his apartment and had successfully locked the door. His keys were nestled safely inside his pocket, which was a rarity. He briskly made his way to the station. 

The journey from Connor's apartment to the police station was rather a simple one: walk down to Lafayette Ave W, cross over to the intersection between Vermont and Linwood, and you're there. In the measurement of time, it takes around five to fifteen minutes (depending on how fast you're going). However, in Connor's weird sense of time, it was around three to five songs away. He walked with a slight spring in his step and the slightest hint of apprehension in his eyes. For once, his monochromatic world didn't look as depressing. It looked kind of nice, jovial even. Maybe it was just the overall turnout of today, but Connor still reveled in today's positivity.

But all that changed as soon as he stepped in the door. Just his luck.

Gavin Reed. Connor's alleged "worst enemy." He had dark, beady eyes and the only thing that made those things look normal was the constant light shining in his otherwise cold eyes. He had a long, faded scar that ran from his eye and across his nose. He was the only person who probably didn't have a soulmate. Well, at least Connor thought so. Did he even see color?  If Connor wasn't so annoyed with him, maybe he'd look into it. Connor's bright facial expression turned into a very annoyed one. He sighed impatiently and waved his hand in disregard as if he were shooing away a fly.

" Hey Gavin," he said in a monotone voice. He tried to get past, but Gavin blocked the doorway with his arm.

Now Connor showed a flash of his true feelings. "C'mon man, I gotta get through."

Gavin smirked. "Oh, my bad. Let me just-" And with a sneer plastered on his face, Gavin opened the door and bowed in a mocking fashion.

Connor rolled his eyes and walked in, trying to shake off what had just happened. He suddenly propelled forward, his foot that was once firmly planted to the ground now inches in the air.  His arms flailed, and Connor tried to suppress his panic so that he appeared emotionless. He glanced down and saw Gavin's foot placed outwards. Connor had now realized that he had been tripped. Stupidity and embarrassment flooded over him, followed by a surging wave of anger. What had he done to Gavin? How much hatred must one person have to constantly harass him? _Why? Why? Why?_ Connor sharply inhaled and kept on walking forward, now with a more cowardly pace. The anger lingered inside of him, and Connor once again repressed his emotions. _Suck it up_ , Connor thought to himself. 

He finally saw a familiar face. His dad, Lt. Hank Anderson.  He was an oddity, that was for sure. He had light hair that skirted his jawline and stubble that peppered his chin and cheeks. He had pale, almost waxy light skin that was defined by wrinkles. He had those storm-esque eyes that looked like they had seen too much for a middle-aged man. And they had. Years of constant violence and fear in this city took a toll on the old man. He had a strange fashion sense, one that Markus would call "a watered down disco man." Connor had always thought that was a bit too harsh on his dad's style.

Hank finally noticed his awkward son shifting right outside the foyer, a snickering Gavin behind him.  He knew what had happened, it obviously didn't take a genius to decipher what had happened. He walked over to Connor, eyes glaring daggers at Gavin. " You look nervous, kid. Something on your mind?"

Gavin now realized what Hank had been implying. He gave a sharp jab to Connor's stomach with his elbow, making the recipient flinch. "I'm sure Officer Anderson will be A-OK."

Hank looked back at Connor, who had just shrugged his shoulders at the eye contact. Hank shook his head and his eyes darted back to Gavin. A type of fury, which had an electric blue color, swirled in Hank's stormy eyes.  "Watch it, Reed."

"Whatever," Gavin sulked. He then proceeded to walk away with his back slumped in a slouch. Hank and Connor both watched as he slightly strutted past the duo, softly cursing at both of them. 

Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and rocked it. He knew how much Connor was annoyed by him. Gavin was just a bit cold. Maybe, just maybe, he'd loosen up a bit. He sighed, " Forget him, Connor. Man can't do sh-"

"Dad!" Connor warned him. 

"Forget about it. But hey, you should probably go see Jeffrey."

"Jeffrey?"

"Fowler." Hank jammed his hands into his jacket pockets.

Oh. That's what his last name was. To be honest, Captain Fowler sounded a lot better than Captain Jeffrey. Connor gave Hank a wave, to which his father smiled in response.

Connor walked off into the secluded office that was elevated by a platform.  
It was pretty admirable in a way.

He kept on walking to it, a nervousness portraying itself through his hands. It was moments like these where Connor wished he had his lucky coin. He stopped at the door that looked like the classroom doors at his high school. Metal doors with a small window covered with a thin, black lattice.

Jeffrey Fowler looked like a man of business. All work, no play. His suit looked crisp, freshly ironed and pressed. He had a resting face that looked like he had heard an unamusing joke. Fowler glanced up at the young man shifting awkwardly in his presence.

He gave off a small wave. "Officer Anderson."

Connor blinked several times to snap himself back into reality. He looked at the Captain, with a stunned look. His expression morphed into a sheepish one, his hand now resting at the back of his head.

"Hi, " he began, " I-uh, was told that I should see you?"

His sentence, which started out as an explanation turned into a question. In all honesty, Connor had no idea what he was doing. His father told him to meet Captain Fowler and he had done so. This was where he was supposed to be, right?

Fowler smiled, which didn't fit his facial structure at all.  "I did ask for you, Anderson. I just wanted to give you a welcome gift."

He slid two tickets to Connor. Still quite dazed, he went over to the desk and picked them up.  The Detroit City Fair. It was only a week away. Connor smiled at the tickets, remembering the joy the festival brought with it. The weird but tasty food, the cool but low-rent rides, the many, many shades of blue that Connor saw. He remembered Markus joking about how if he were to find his soulmate, it'd probably be at the fair. And Connor knew exactly who he was going to bring.

Connor scrambled for a decent thank-you. "Uh, thanks so much, sir!"

Fowler was now typing away on his laptop. "Have fun."

Connor nodded and walked out. Instead of going to his desk, he went back outside. He had an important call to make. He now stood outside, lips pressed together, thinking of what he was going to say. He took out his phone and typed out the number. He gulped, his brows raising as he pressed the keys.

A female voice. _Her_ voice. "Hi! This is Kara! I'm really sorry that I can't take your call right now, but just leave a message at the beep. Why did I tell you that? You know the drill."

A long _beep._

 _"_ Hey, this is Connor from that party from yesterday. Anyway, I got tickets for the fair from my job and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me. It's cool if you don't want to, just let me know."


	9. Terrible Luck With Ferris Wheels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haha u thought this wasn't gonna be angsty

" Hey, this is Connor from that party from yesterday. Anyway, I got tickets for the fair from my job and I was wondering if you'd like to go with me. It's cool if you don't want to, just let me know." 

    Kara kept replaying the message, trying to comprehend that this was real. She had listened to it so much to where she could actually recite it. She wasn't in awe of Connor's invitation-well, she was but not for the reason she'd thought she'd have. It wasn't why Connor was inviting her, it was the entire message was about. A date. Kara hadn't been on one in her lifetime, and she was starting to worry. Her fingers lingered over her phone, wanting to call back but never actually doing so. Her teeth were biting her lip harshly, threatening to make the lower lip bleed. She was still in the car and tried to keep the voicemail volume to a minimum. She glanced at Alice, who was fast asleep while keeping a death-grip on a stuffed fox. She shifted her gaze to the driver, who was her brother Luther.  He had returned from college a week prior to today and was carried away in humming a tune quietly. 

   The car halted abruptly. The action made Kara propel forward. A long line of traffic lay ahead of them. She had always hated traffic, but now she enjoyed the stall of time. Luther looked back at her, a concerned look spread on his face.

  "You okay, Kara? You've been playing that same audio clip over and over again."

   Kara mumbled and shifted to the window. "Yeah, I'm fine."

  "No, no you're not, " Luther said in a firm tone.

 "I'm not, " Kara replied with a resignation in her voice.

"What's up?"

"It's just... there's this guy and he's really sweet and he asked me out, so..what do I do?"

Luther sighed. " You like him, right?"

Kara blushed at the question." Yeah."

"Then accept!"

That seemed pretty reasonable to her. Kara hadn't been on a date in, like, years. Connor was a nice guy. What could go wrong?

She dialed in the number, heart pounding furiously in her chest.  Her right hand lay beside her and trembled in fear. She had bitten her lip to where it had begun to hurt.

Connor's voice. A flood of relief washed over her, leaving her to bask in a peaceful mood. "Hello?"

" Hey, it's me, Kara." 

His voice pitched up noticeably, she could already sense his excitement. " Hey! Um, yeah, how are you?"

" Good. My brother just came back from college."

"Cool, who's he?"

" Luther." She handed the phone to the driver, who was now beginning to relax in the traffic.

" You're Connor, right?" He had this angriness in his voice which Kara knew was fake. 

Connor, on the other hand, didn't know any better. Fear filled his voice. " Yes, sir?"

Luther squinted at nothing in particular. " You hurt her and I break you, you got that?"

An audible gulp. " Yes, sir."

Luther chuckled loudly while Kara tried her hardest to suppress her laughter. Laughter filled the car, which woke up Alice. She yawned, eyes still half-lidded and looked up at her siblings. 

"Mmm?" she hummed, still far too tired to formulate basic sentences.

Luther and Kara glanced at each other and then chuckled to themselves. The pure innocence of the moment was somehow funny to them, or maybe it was just the fatigue coming into play. And finally, finally, the traffic began to move. Luther let out a whoop of joy while Kara kept her relief to herself.  Alice hummed with happiness, indicating that she too was glad that we could keep going.

Connor was still on the other line. " Hello?"

Kara snatched the phone back. " Yeah, um, hi. Anyways, I'd love to go to the carnival with you."

Connor's voice got extremely high, which Kara thought was adorable. " Really?" Kara couldn't help but smile at the delivery, it was so innocent, so pure.

Kara chuckled. " Yeah!" Little did she know, Connor was blushing profusely on the other end.

" Meet you there at seven?"

"Yeah."

" Cool?"

" Cool."

Chapman Residence. Detroit, MI. 02/17/2018

Kara applied a layer of lipstick, something she always said she'd never use.  She pressed her lips together and rubbed them against each other, trying to spread the taupe colored lipstick across her lips. Her mouth parted for a fraction of a second and she sat on her chair, alone. Self-deprecating thoughts and questions filled her head:  Was she enough? Did Connor like her? Did she like herself?  Her mother's words like a storm to a mere drizzle drowned out her own thoughts.

" Now listen, sugar. If anyone and I mean anyone, tells you that you're not good enough, you straighten up. Slack your jaw, posture straight, eyes trained on them like the wrath of God. You walk over to them in the most poised and graceful walk you can muster and crush their toes under your shoes. Tell them that they don't decide who's good enough for anyone, only you can do that for yourself.  And by saying that to you, aren't they making themselves worse? Not only for you but for everyone that person ever meets. You are magnificent and an absolute enigma, Kara Chapman, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise."

A sense of confidence fills her, if Connor didn't like her for who she is, then that's that. She'll effortlessly crush his toes if he tries to change her. Kara is Kara, and nothing could change that. A chestnut flame flickers in her eyes, and a smirk graces her lips. This was her, and she was going to go to the Detroit Fair. 

She walked out of her house, giving a kiss on the head to Alice, a small lecture from her mother, and a thumbs-up from Luther. 

A breath in. A breath out. This was ok, she was going to be fine.  She saw him and the wheat button-up shirt he wore, and the sepia jacket that hung around the inside of his elbows. The hickory ripped jeans he wore complimented his russet hair. Kara couldn't believe it but someone actually managed to pull off a monochromatic look. Those eyes, his eyes, that never met her's bored holes into the ground. 

A wide smile graced his face, he still looked downwards. " You look nice."

She raised her eyebrow. " How do you know? You haven't even looked at me."

" You're pretty as it is. I highly doubt you changed." 

Kara scoffed, a smile betraying the action. She blushed at the slightest and walked down the front steps, lowering her head. His eyes were intense and it hurt her head to even glance at them. 

He smirked. "I was wrong, you don't look nice."

" What?" she gasped. She felt a bit stuck-up for saying that, but any normal person wouldn't say that to anyone, especially if they're on their first date. 

" You didn't let me finish Kara, you look amazing."

Kara immediately grew flustered at the comment. She turned away, feeling her cheeks burn with what she could only presume was blush. That was so stupidly charismatic. How did he time that so well? How was his delivery so perfect? Kara knew that she'd definitely need to step up her flirting game. 

Ferris Wheel. Detroit City Fair, Detroit, MI. 02/17/2018

 Kara couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness when boarding the Ferris Wheel. It looked old and unused like it had been there since the creation of the Ferris Wheel. She winced when it creaked under her and Connor's weight. And she could see that Connor was a bit worried too, occasional glances at the structure of the ride told her everything she needed to know. They were in this boat of doubt together. 

Lights up. A fluorescent brown glowed around their little booth as it started to slowly push itself upward. They sat adjacent to each other rather awkwardly as the slow and gradual push continued. 

Kara could see that Connor was getting more and more agitated from how high they were getting. Kara, whilst peering out the window, slid her hand over his. He felt warm, like a steamy cup of hot cocoa. She smiled at the contact, and Connor did so too. 

A screech. Then an abrupt stop. 

Connor gently brushed Kara's hand aside. A flash of disappointment revealed itself on her face. He scanned the view with a worried look on his face, the baby blue color on his face getting increasingly paler. 

He started to breathe in quick, short breaths. Hyperventilation. Connor was scared of heights. This new fact registered in her mind and she swore to never take him on a Ferris Wheel again.

He was still looking out the window, pain etched over his features. His voice dropped to a vulnerable whisper, like that of a child's.

"I'm scared, Kara."

He went silent as he regretted saying that. Kara didn't mind, she found comfort that Connor had irrational fears. She didn't want him to pretend that he was fearless, overly brave when he wasn't. 

She held his and this time and replied, reflecting his tone." I am too."

His gaze was now fixated on the floor of their booth. It was an intense stare, to the point where Kara was scared that he'd bore holes into the floor.

His lips still trembled, still holding that intense stare. "You're not as scared as me."

She tore her eyes off of him and muttered, "Yeah, you're right, but that doesn't mean I can't help you."

She held his hand again, making her grip tight. She shifted toward him, laying her head on his shoulder. His head leaned back on her's, and she felt his silky russet hair spill over her hair. It was absolutely surreal to her.

He moved, eyes hooded by his eyelids to the point where they were closed. She moved so she could face him and cupped his face in her hands.

"Look at me, Connor, " she cooed. 

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"I rely on my sight too much."

Their faces moved closer together. Kara's eyes fluttered closed as Connor instinctively ran his hand through her hair. Closer, closer, closer. Kara could feel his lips just grazing her's, almost there. Her heartbeat quickened as he leaned in. 

A ringtone. Connor pulled away from her, eyes still closed. He finally opened them, looking at the bright screen. She glanced at his phone, a caller ID with the name Chandler. He picked up and replied with an annoyed, "Hello?"

She heard it-those cursed words-as clear as day. Sharp and terrible words that seemed so hellish to Connor.

"Connor, Dad doesn't recognize me."

Connor looked spelled and slightly confused. He replied, a shakiness in his voice, "What do you mean?"

"Like he doesn't know me. He tried calling the police on me, and it took me fifteen minutes to get him to stop. I told him about you and me, and he looked me dead in the eye and said, 'Who's Connor?'."


End file.
